Charter Schools

CATEGORIES	Horace Mann Charter Schools	Commonwealth Charter Schools
AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION	G.L. c. 71, s. 89 (603 CMR 1:00)	G.L. c. 71, s. 89 (603 CMR 1:00)
APPROVAL PROCESS AND OVERSIGHT
Approval Process	Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), local teachers’ union, and local school committee approval are required for traditional Horace Mann charter schools. Teachers’ union approval is not required for conversions and 14 new Horace Mann schools. The charter is granted to an independent board of trustees at each school.	Approval by BESE is required, and the charter is granted to an independent board of trustees at each school.
Oversight/ Evaluation	BESE has oversight authority.	BESE has oversight authority.
Authority to Conduct School Evaluation	The school's board of trustees has complete authority.	Board of trustees has complete authority.
Accountability	Charter renewal every five years by BESE; BESE can impose conditions and/or probation on renewal and require that certain benchmarks be met.	Charter renewal every five years by BESE; BESE can impose conditions and/or probation on renewal and require that certain benchmarks be met.
Audit	An independent entity must conduct an annual audit and produce a report, as school funds are managed by the school and its board of trustees.	An independent entity must conduct an annual audit and produce a report, as school funds are managed by the school and its board of trustees.
APPROVAL PROCESS AND OVERSIGHT
Contractual Work Conditions	Traditional Horace Mann schools must have an MOU (in which any modifications to or waivers from collective bargaining agreements are detailed) that is submitted to the BESE along with the charter application. Conversion schools require MOUs to be approved by a majority faculty vote. The 14 “new” Horace Mann schools require negotiation and approval of the MOU after the charter is awarded; if agreement is not reached at least 30 days before scheduled opening, the school will operate under the terms of its charter until an agreement is reached.	Because Commonwealth charter schools are independent of the local school district, teachers are not covered by the local collective bargaining agreement. Teachers have the right to establish a bargaining unit for the charter school under G.L. c. 150E.
UNION AND DISTRICT
School Committee/ District Policies	Horace Mann charter schools are exempt from school committee policies and district regulations in accordance with charter statute.	Commonwealth charter schools are exempt from school committee policies and district regulations in accordance with charter statute.
Grievances	Typically covered by collective bargaining agreement, which governs unless arrangement is modified by an MOU.	Grievance procedures may be developed at each school.
FUNDING
Facilities	Facilities costs are negotiated by school board of trustees and local school committee; for example, the school does not pay for the facility if housed in city-owned building, but must pay for facility if housed in non-city owned site (with approval of school committee).	The school must pay for its facility.
Teacher Hiring/ Salary Level	Certified teachers are employed at the district salary level.	Teachers' salary levels are determined by the school. Teachers must meet federal requirements regarding highly qualified instructors, but are not required to be certified; however, ELL teachers must be licensed.
State/Federal Grants	State and federal grants are received directly by each school.	State and federal grants are received directly by each school.
Funding Formula	Each school’s annual appropriation is an amount agreed upon by the school and the school committee (the appropriation must be comparable to district school funding).	Each school receives student tuition directly from the state based on the statutory formula.
Central Discretionary Services	Each school has greater choice regarding a range of discretionary central office services to purchase the services or add the per pupil funds to its budget (the arrangement can be negotiated by the school board of trustees and local school committee).	Not applicable, as the schools operate separately from the school district.
PERSONNEL
Teacher Evaluation System	Typically covered by collective bargaining agreement, which governs unless arrangement is modified by an MOU.	Teacher evaluation systems can be developed by each school.
Lay-offs	Horace Mann schools are exempt from personnel “bumping” during the time of lay-off.	Not applicable, as the schools operate separately from school districts.
ENROLLMENT
Projected enrollment	Maximum enrollment is established in the charter application and as granted by BESE.	State tuition payments are based on actual enrollment. Maximum enrollment is established in the charter application and as granted by BESE.
Admissions	The schools must have an open application process, and a lottery must be held if the number of applicants exceeds available spaces.	The schools must have open application process, and a lottery must be held if number of applicants exceeds spaces. Note: additional recruitment and retention requirements for new schools are specified in An Act relative to the achievement gap, S. 2247.
SCHOOL DATA
MCAS	MCAS results are published as a separate local education agency.	MCAS results are published as a separate local education agency.
Report Cards & Diplomas	Each school administers its own report cards and diplomas unless the school chooses to have district administer them.	Each school administers its own report cards and diplomas.